everyday homeschooling blog

Your Transition Team

MaryAnn Gaver

I'll never forget that first fall when we started homeschooling. The twins were seven. I remember waking up that morning just after Labor Day wondering if the whole homeschooling thing would work for our family...

Instinctively, I poured that last bit of coffee into the sink before reality hit me. This was ourfirst morning of homeschooling! I didn't need to rush through breakfast. I loved that! I didn't need to scramble to get the boys' uniforms ready or to pack lunches and snacks (which hardly got eaten anyway). I tell that little story in the blog, Healthy Wholesome Homeschooling. No scurrying into the old white van with my usual, "Hurry or we'll be late!" message.

After the first few weeks, our family settled into a certain new rhythm, our own way of doing school, our own way of living life and learning at home. It was definitely a lifestyle change for all of us, but we loved thefreer and slower pace that homeschool offered. The twins became interested in learning (see The Cherry Blossom Festival blog) and, over time, my doubts about teaching began to vanish. For encouragement as you teach, please see the blogs: Fact #1 About Homeschooling, You're A Natural Teacher and 1,976 Empty Seats.

Whether you're coming out of public or private school, starting to homeschool your kindergartner, or finishing your final year of homeschooling a high-schooler, August seems to be "transition" month. Summer ends, and a new school year begins.

I know that there are some of you who teach year-round, but the majority of families seem to opt for the summer off, then begin teaching again during late August or September. I know of families who travel and do vacations in early September, then start teaching later in the month. Flexibility is another plus to home teaching!

Okay, now I'd like to talk about our "transition teams" -- our smart and accomplished husbands and children. They're there to support us and love us every day. Unlike the high-profile, highly paid political women who gallivant around Washington, D.C. (and a million miles around the world) with their expensive "transition teams", we homeschooling moms work quietly to strengthen our nation by building the core unit of society (the family) without money, waste, or fanfare. Homeschooling moms move into and out of their various roles quite inconspicuously with the grace of a ballerina on toe shoes....

So -- here'sto transitions and transition teams! As you savor the remaining moments of summer, remember that you'll do fine as you move into your new role this fall.

Stay faithful!

"The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness." -1 Samuel 26:23